![]() So with no formal meaning, ‘9 metres squared’ could indeed be taken to mean 9×9 m 2 or 9 m 2 – there is no definitive statement one way or the other. These words are NOT defined in the SI system. The confusion arises from reading m 2 as the words ‘metres squared’. So I contacted the NPL (National Physical Laboratory), this isĪndrew Hanson, MBE BSc (Hons) CPhys, Outreach Manager, National Physical Laboratory, Hampton Rd | Teddington | Middlesex | UK | TW11 0LWįrom P162 of the SI Brochure (most recent – 9 th edition 2019), the area unit definition is:Īlmost certainly unchanged from when you first wrote your blog item.Īs an example from the definition, spoken ‘9 square metres’, written ‘9 m 2‘ are both 9 times the area of the unitary square metre. A square metre could, for example, be in the shape of an oblong of dimensions 50cm x 2m, or in the shape of an A0 sheet, or 16 A4 sheets in any pattern.Īfter all the comments on here I decided to contact the people who know this stuff as metrology is their business. By contrast, a square metre is an area and can be any shape. A metre square is a square with sides one metre in length – it refers to the shape and the side length, not the area. Andy’s alternative examples are also correct.Īs well as the difference in size between square metres and metres squared (except when you have zero of each or one of each) there is a difference in shape. Hi, the examples that you have given for metre square and square metre are incorrect.Ģ square metre = 1 metre x 2 metre (1×2=2) Thanks to Andy and Gareth Lewis Maths tuition for these additional thoughts. I wasn’t sure that I ought to have posted this, but it looks like it is less well understood than I imagined, definitely my only popular post! This cube could be described as 125 cubic centimetres or 5 centimetres cubed. If you say metres cubed you mean that this is the length of one side and you need to cube this value to get the volume. The correct SI unit for volume is cubic metres, (or in Chemistry they might use cubic centimetres). Hope this clears any confusion you might have on this one!Īctually I ought to put a post script in! You just get there by different routes.Įven though the unit looks like it is written as metres squared you pronounce it square metres. But beware more confusion arises as 1 m × 1 m = 1 square metres while 1 metre squared is also the same size as 1 2 = 1 metre square. ![]() So if someone asks you the correct area of the room mentioned originally, you should say that the area is 4 square metres or 2 metres square both of which are correct answers, but the 4 m 2, 4 square metres is standard. ![]() Overestimating the size of the room by giving the wrong units. If you say that this is 4 metres squared what you mean is an area which has the length of 4 metres and you are multiplying it by a breadth of 4 metres which would give you an area of 16 square metres. The room has an area of 4 square metres, 4 m 2. If a square room has a length of 2 metres and is 2 metres in breadth, you can easily calculate its area with this formula. People cannot make out the difference between square metres and metres squared and assume they are the same, which they are not! The confusion arises when we see square metres written or spoken. Metre is the unit of length in the SI system and square metres is the SI units for calculating area.
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